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Our Positions

1. We strongly favor any and all initiatives that increase and improve employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities. We have had success developing a range of employment options, including Social Enterprises and Affirmative Businesses.

2. We firmly believe that every individual who wants to work should be working, but we also believe that much more needs to be done to make this happen. Quality jobs must be developed – full-time jobs with benefits for those who want and need such employment.

3. We believe youths with disabilities must be prepared for careers that use their full potential, providing employers with a pipeline of a skilled workforce.

4. We believe federal and state government must significantly upgrade their commitment to support these efforts as part of the workforce investment strategy for individuals with severe developmental disabilities.

5. We believe that economic integration should be as important as social integration.

6. We believe the creation of jobs for individuals with disabilities is not just a social imperative; it is an economic development issue.

7. We believe Affirmative Business and Social Enterprise development requires capital investment, as does any other business development.

8. We believe corporations must be expected to hire individuals with severe developmental disabilities.

9. We believe state workforce development policies and initiatives must make disability employment part of their strategy.

10. We believe there must be a significant increase in funding to support the expected outcomes.

11. We believe Medicaid should not be the driving force for providers to yield good employment outcomes. We believe there must be revenue generated to support individuals in employment who are not Medicaid eligible but who rely on supports to obtain and sustain employment.

12.We believe informed choices and better opportunities must be made available to individuals. Choices are not currently present for individuals with disabilities seeking employment.

13. We believe no employment option should be eliminated unless a better option has been established.

14. We believe better employment outcomes will not be achieved without true investments into services, and business development.